e*»5 

I3tn, 

JZmo 


Duke  University  Libraries 

Drinking,  disob 
Conf  Pam  12mo  #682 


No.  104. 

DRINKING,  DISOBEDIENCE, 
AND  DEATH: 

The  condemned  soldier's  cell  made 

A  PALACE. 


[The  facts  related  in  the  following  tract  are  both  alarming  and 
encouraging.  They  are  alarming,  because  the  events  of  our  war 
prove  what  Washington,  in  his  day,  found  to  be  the  case,  that  drink- 
ins  among  soldiers  is  the  chief  occasion  of  insubordination,  incapa- 
city, and  capital  offences.  Already  it  is  known  to  have  led  to  the 
execution  of  six  of  our  brave  soldiers,  four  of*  whom  made  solemn 
appeals  to  their  fellow  soldiers  to  take  warning  from  their  melan- 
choly fate  and  shun  the  intoxicating  bowl.  These  facts  prove,  also, 
the  possibility  of  repentance  and  salvation  in  the  uttermost  ex- 
tremity, and  for  the  chief  of  sinners.] 

John  Jenny  was  born  at  Nottingham,  on  the  9th  of 
January,  1793.  His  father  dying  at  an  early  period  of 
his  life,  he  became  solely  dependent  on  his  mother;  and 
from  a  letter  of  hers,  which  he  showed  to  me  in  his 
confinement,  it  is  evident  that  she  had  taken  some  con- 
siderable pains  to  lead  him  to  a  due  attention  to  religion 
and  propriety  of  conduct.  She  there  charges  him  to 
remember  the  many  instructions  he  had  received,  and 
the  early  vows  he  had  made  "  before  the  sacred  altar  of 
God." 

When  in  his  native  land,  however,  notwithstanding 
his  mother's  admonitions,  he    was  led   astray  by  loose 


2  DRINKING,   DISOBEDIENCE,   AND   DKATH. 

company  and  intoxication:  which  so  unsettled  his  mind 
from  the  business  to  which  she  had  apprenticed  him, 
that  he  resolved  to  enter  upon  a  soldier's  life;  and, 
though  only  sixteen  years  of  age,  enlisted  into  the  2d 
battalion  of  H.  M.  73d  regiment,  and  was  transferred 
into  the  1st  battalion  in  1811. 

The  same  causes  which  operated  to  bring  him  into 
the  army  continued  to  influence  him  afterward,  and 
procured  him  the  merited  character  of  an  unsteady,  dis- 
solute, bad  man.  The  foundation  of  all  this  was  his 
inclination  for  evil  company  and  intoxication,  as  he 
himself  assured  me;  and  added,  u  O,  warn  my  com- 
rades against  bad  company  and  drunkenness.  It  was 
that  which  began  my  ruin."  His  evil  propensities  often 
involved  him  in  troubh-  ;  at  which  times  of  distress  he 
was  not  without  serious  thoughts  of  his  awful  condition, 
and  resolutions  to  amend  his  life.  But  thes^  salutary 
impressions  wore  ofT  from  forgetfulness ;  and  the  influ- 
ence of  temptation  led  him  to  break  his  resolutions  as 
often  as  he  had  made  them. 

The  circumstances  which  led  to  his  last  crime  were 
as  follows  :  Having  dishonestly  come  into  the  possession 
of  money,  he  had  spent  some  days  in  incessant  intem- 
perance; and  was  detected  in  selling  part  of  his  neces- 
saries, when  his  money  was  expended,  in  order  to 
continue  his  vices  still  longer.  In  consequence  of  this, 
he  was  ordered  by  his  captain  to  be  confined  in  the 
guard  house.  Enraged  at  his  detection,  and  stupefied 
by  the  effects  of  intoxication,  he  had  the  temerity  to 
draw  back  his  hand  upon  his  captain,  and  to  strike  him 
a  violent  blow  on  the  face. 

So  outrageous  a  defiance  of  discipline  could  not  be 
passed  over  in  silence.  The  criminal  was  ordered  into 
confinement;  and  a  general  court  martial  having  been 
summoned,  examined  into  the  affair,  and  transmitted 
their  verdict  to  His  Excellency  the,  Governor,  the  late 
.Sir  Robert  Brownrigg.  It  was  generally  expected  that 
the  sentence  of  death  would  be  executed  upon  him. 
With  this  expectation,  he  remained  a  prisoner  in  the 
stocks;  and,  abandoned  by  man,  he  began  to  think  it 
was  now  high  "time  to  seek  the  Lord." 


DRINKING,   DISOBEDIENCE.   AND   DEATH.  • 

Actnated  by  the  most  commendable  impulse,  two 
pious  Wesleyan  comrades — a  sergeant  and  a  corporal  in 
the  same  regiment — paid  him  an  unsolicited  visit  in  his 
solitary  room.  "  Blessed  is  lie  that  considereth  the 
poor."  Their  conduct  is  worthy  of  high  commendation, 
as  they  had  never  any  previous  acquaintance  with  the 
unfortunate  man.  His  trouble  was  the  foundation  of 
their  friendship;  and,  as  the  event  will  prove,  the  means, 
in  the  hands  of  God,  of  his  salvation.  "Go  thou  and 
do  likewise."  They  found  him  rather  desirous  than 
otherwise  of  religious  conversation  ;  and  the  former  sent 
us  out  a  short  note,  requesting  that  the  Rev.  B.  Clough, 
my  miss  onary  fellow-laborer,  and  myself, -would  see 
the  prisoner,  which  we  regularly  continued  to  do  until 
the  moment  of  his  execution.  Tile  manner  in  which 
he  received  the  visits  of  his  religious  comrades  cannot 
be  better  described  than  in  the  language  of  one  of 
them  : 

"Soon  after  his  trial,  I  was  informed  that  he  began  to 
have  serious  thoughts  about  his  future  state;  and  being 
desired  by  one  of  my  friends,  I  accompanied  him  to  see 
him.  On  inquiring  of  him  if  he  knew  how  the  pardon 
of  his  sins  was  to  be  obtained,  his  answer  was,  that  he 
was  very  ignorant.  I  found  him,  however,  willing  to  be 
taught;  of  which  the  acknowledgment  of  his  ignorance 
I  considered  to  be  a  proof.  In  the  best  manner  that  I 
could,  I  therefore  endeavored  to  impress  upon  his  mind 
a  sense  of  his  great  ingratitude  to  God,  by  laying  before 
him  the  wickedness  of  his  past  life;  and  then  compar- 
ing it  with  the  goodness  of  God  to  him,  in  creating  and 
redeeming  him,  and  in  continuing  to  preserve  him,  while 
at  the  same  time  he  was  persevering  in  sinning  and 
rebelling  against  His  divine  authority  and  goodness.  I 
further  exhorted  him  to  repent  of  Ins  sins,  and  turn  to 
God  with  all  his  heart,  by  faith  in  a  crucified  Saviour; 
and  that  without  any  delay  ;  urging  that,  in  all  proba- 
bility, the  sentence  of  the  court  martial  would  be  death; 
and  that  his  time  in  the  world  would  likely  be  very 
short.  I  was  greatly  encouraged  in  thus  speaking  to 
him,  as  he  listened  to  it  all  with  the  greatest  attention. " 

When  Mr.  Clough  and  I  first  visited  him,  we  felt  it  a 


4  DRINKING,  DISOBEDIENCE,  AND  DEATH. 

• 

painful  duty  to  assure  him  there  was  not  the  least  rea- 
son to  hope  for  a  pardon  from  his  earthly  superiors;  of 
which  we  were  glad  to  observe  him  fully  sensible,  as.  it 
left  him  to  pursue  the  principal  object  without  distract- 
ing hopes  or  fears.  We  lent  him  two  or  three  suitable 
books  to  read,  with  a  Bible  and  Hymn-book  he  had 
received  from  'he  corporal;  and  were  in  the  habit,  at 
our  evening  visitations,  of  catechising  him  on  divine 
subjects,  as  well  as  expounding  to  him  some  portion  of 
God?s  word  which  particularly  related  to  experimental 
religion  —  that  being  most  adapted  to  his  situation. 
Ours  was  an  awful  task!  He  seemed  to  devour  every 
word  !  And  such  was  his  desire  for  salvation,  that, 
could  it  have  been  accomplished  by  manual  labor,  I  am 
persuaded  every  nerve  would  have  been  gladly  and 
strenuously  brought  into  exercise.  But  still  his  mind 
appeared  to  be  dark,  and  his  ideas  very  confused,  on 
religious  subjects.  He  always,  however,  manifested 
great  thankfulness  to  us  when  we  went  to  see  him  ;  and, 
on  parting,  would  grasp  our  hands  with  much  affection- 
ate fervor,  as  though  to  acknowledge  his  grateful  sense 
of  obligation. 

At  the  expected  time,  his  sentence  was  read  to  him 
by  the  judge-advocate.  He  was  to  suffer  the  dreadful 
sentence  of  the  law  on  the  27th  of  October;  and  was 
accordingly  removed  to  a  condemned  cejl.  The  time  of 
his  residence  in  the  cell  was  about  a  fortnight.  On  his 
being  sent  there,  the  fort  adjutant,  Baron  Mylius,  at  the 
desire  of  the  prisoner,  politely  wrote  us  an  official  re- 
quest to  attend  him  during  his  last  days;  which  we 
assured  him  we  should  do  with  the  utmost  pleasure. 
And  it  was  in  this  outwardly  melancholy  little  room 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  appeared  to  work  more 
powerfully  upon  his  soul.  His  views  of  himself  and  of 
religion  rapily  improved,  and  his  feelings  likewise  :  for 
he  seemed  to  be  a  man  who  had  but  one  business  to 
attend  to— the  salvation  of  his  soul!"  The  pleasing 
change  in  his  condition  is  thus  described  by  the  same 
religious  comrade: 

"  T  continued  my  visits  to  him  as  often  as  duty  woul 
permit,  while  he  remained  in  the  guard-house;  and  was 


DRINKING,  DISOBEDIENCE,  AND   DEATH.  5 

much  pleased  to  see  him  always  listen  with  att.  ntion  to 
any  person  who  came  to  converse  with  him  about  the 
concerns  of  his  soul.  It  is  true  that  he  was  not  so 
serious  when  alone.as  he  ought  to  have  been:  but  this 
may  be  accounted  for,  when  we  consider  the  tempta- 
tions or  Satan,  and  sometimes  the  tendency  of  worldly 
conversation,  with  the  natural  forgetfulness  and  depra- 
vity of  the  heart  of  man.  These  were  all  hindrances 
winch  kept  him  from  turning  to  the  Lord  with  all  his 
heart.  But  wnen  the  time  came  that  he  was  amoved 
from  the  guard-house  to  the  condemned  ceil,  he  set 
about  the  concerns  of  his  immortal  soul  with  more  ear- 
nestness than  ever.  I  believe  he  then  began  to  seek 
the  Lord  with  all  his  heart.  I  still  had  opportunity  to 
attend  h.m  in  the  cell,  and  never  failed  to  press  upon 
mm  to  use  all -diligence  in  preparing  to  meet  his  God 
"One  evening,  when  I  went  to  see  him,  on  inquiring 
into  the  state  of  his  mind,  and  how  he  had  spent  the 
?Hy>.  4°;    sald  h«*   'this  is  the  happiest  day  that  ever  \ 

had.      Mr. has  been    here  a  considerable   time, 

and  has  written  a  letter  for  me;'  which  he  then  brought 
me  to  read.  Afterward  he  also  brought  me  a  small 
tract:  I  think  it  was  'Serious  Thoughts  on  Eternity,' 
from  which  he  said  he  had  received  much  profit* 
*roin  that  time  there  was  a  visible  change  in  his  coun- 


*  This  tract  was  published  by  the  Religious  Tract  Society  in  Lon- 
don, and  was  made  particularly  useful  to  Jennv.  One  day  he  men- 
troned  to  me  the  following  anecdote,  related  in  it.  which  had  been 
po.nted  out  to  him  by  Mr.  Clough,  and  had  made  a  very  powerful 
impression  on  his  mind:  "A  lady,  who  had  spent  the  evening  at 
cards,  and  in  gay  company,  returning  at  night,  found  her  servant- 
man!  reading  a  religious  book..  She  looked  over  her  shoulder,  and 
said,  'Poor  melancholy  soul!  what  pleasure  canst  thou  find  in  porin- 
so  long  over  that  book  V  That  night  the  lady  could  not  sleep,  bu°t 
lay  sighing  and  weeping.  Her  servant  repeatedly  asked  what  was 
the  matter.  At  length  she  hur>t  into  a  flood  of  tears,  and  said,  'Oh' 
it  was  one  word  I  saw  in  your  book  that  troubles  me:  there  I  saw 
that  word-ETERMTY!  O  how  happy  should  I  be,  it  I  were  prepared 
for  eternity.'" 

104-2 


6  DRINKING,   DISOBEDIENCE,  AND  DEATH. 

tenance  ;  and,  I  have  no  doubt,  a  real  change  in  his 
heart  also." 

The  letter  referred  to  was  one  to  his  mother,  which 
Jenny  had  expressed  a  desire  to  write.  And  the  com- 
mandant of  the  garrison,  Colonel  Young,  of  the  Royal 
Artillery,  having  humanely  sent  him  paper  and  pens 
and  ink,  for  that  purpose,  I  made  it  my  business  to  be 
present  with  him  while  he  performed  this  last  act  of 
filial  duty.  When  all  things  were  ready,  and  I  had 
mended  his  pen  for  him,  the  poor  man  remained  silent 
and  thoughtful  for  some  time;  at  last  bursting  out  into 
a  flood  of  tears,  lie  told  me  that  he  felt  unable  to  write, 
at  the  same  time  requesting  I  would  do  it  for  him.  I 
freely  confess  this  was  the  most  pathethic  and  moving 
circumstance  of  the  kind  I  ever  had  to  encounter,  and 
I  am  persuaded  I  shall  never  forget  my  feelings  on  that 
occasion  while  I  live. 

When  we  had  both  sufficiently  recovered  our  firm- 
ness, ]  conversed  with  him  most  particularly,  in  order 
to  become  intimately  acquainted  with  the  sentiments  he 
wished  to  communicate  ;  and,  taking  up  the  pen,  wrote 
what  I  conceived  a  faithful  expression  of  his  feelings; 
suggesting  to  him  sentence  by  sentence,  as  it  was  writ- 
ten, to  which  he  assented.  And,  after  reading  the 
whole  over,  wiili  many  tears,  and  falling  back  on  his 
bed,  and  crying  very  bitterly,  he  summoned  up  his  cou- 
rage, and  signed  it  with  his  own  hand. 

It  appears  that  tin's  letter  gave  utterance  to  the  newly- 
formed  emotions  of  his  heart,  and  was  instrumental  in 
improving  his  views  of  the  way  of  salvation  ;  for  he 
always  named  the  period  of  writing  it  as  the  memor- 
able time  when  his  gloomy  fears  of  futurity  were  re- 
moved, and  he  was  first  enabled  to  look  upward  to 
God  with  humble,  penitent,  believing  confidence  in  his 
mercy,  through  Jesus  Christ  Under  the  Divine  bless- 
ing, there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  it  was  made  a 
means  of  grace  to  his  repentant  soul.  To  the  Lord  be 
all   the  praise  ! 

As  it  was  thus  so  essential-. y  his  own  language,  an 
extract  of  the  letter  shall  be  given  ;  only  omitting  those 
parts  which  were  purely  of  a  domestic  and  private  na- 
ture. 


DRINKING,   DISOBEDIENCE,  AND  DEATH.  7 

"Colombo,  October  22tf,  1817. 
"My  dear  and  affectionate  Mother, 

"  Mr. ,  one  of  the   missionaries  in   this  place, 

has  promised  me  lie  will  give  you  every  particular  of 
my  present  situation.  When  I  think  how  you  will  feel 
at  hearing  of  my  awful  case,  my  heart  grieves;  and  I 
wish,  with  all  my  heart,  that  I  had  paid  more  attention 
to  your  good  advice  and  prayers  for  me.  But  1  hope 
that.  God  will  support  your  mind,  and  comfort  you  witli 
the  assurance  that'  we  shall  meet  in  a  better  world.  I 
can  say,  with  truth,  'It  is  good  for  me  that  I  have  been 
in  trouble;'  for,  before  I  was  in  trouble,  I  went  astray; 
but,  I  trust,  I  am  now  brought  back  to  God. 

"When  I  was  put  into  confinement,  the  missionaries 
visited  me;  and  by  their  instiuctions,  and  reading  the 
*V\7ord  of  God,  I  have  been  led  to  see  and  fve\  myself  a 
wretched  sinner;  and,  indeed,  this  I  have  been,  especi- 
ally since  I  saw  you.  But  I  repent  of  my  sins  before 
God,  with  all  my  heart:  I  can  say  I  hate  them,  and 
would  sooner  die  than   live  to  sin  against  God  as  I  have 

done.      I  have  opened    all   my  feelings  to  Mr.  ,  who 

writes  this  letter.      He  will  tell  you  all  about  me. 

u  I  am  a  sinner — a  great  sinner;  but,  by  the  grace 
and  mercy  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ,  I.  have  a  comfort- 
able hope  of  heaven;  and,  on  this  account,  I  do  not 
fear  to  die.  I  am  at  peace  with  all  the  world.  My 
affection    is  the  same  as  ever  it  was  to  you,  my  dear 

mother,  and  my  brother.      I  have  begged  Mr. to 

write  him  some  good  advice;  which  [  hope  he  will 
follow.    Farewell,  my  dear  mother.    Meet  me  in  heaven, 


by  the. merits  of  Christ,  there  to  sing  his  praises  for  eve 
with  your  affectionate  son,  John  Jenny." 


After  his  removal  to  the  cell,  he  was  visited  by  the 
-Rev.  T.  Griffiths  and  the  .  Rev  J.  Chater.  He  was 
always  ready  to  hear  Christian  conversation;  and  when 
his  cell  door  was  opened,  he  seemed  glad  to  find  it  for 
the  admission  of  any  one  who  would  come  to  speak  to 
him  on  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 

The  letter  to  his  mother  was  written  on  the   Wednes- 


8  DRINKING,   DISOBEDIENCE,  AND  DEATH. 

day  before  his  death.  As  lias  been  already  observed, 
from  that  day  a  very  considerable  change  was  visible 
in  him.  Me  appeared,. in  general,  calm  and  composed 
ever  afterward;  frequently  blessing  God  for  his  m^rcy 
toward  him. 

On  the  Friday,  making  him  our  usual  visit,  1  was 
greatly  surprised  to  find  him  engaged  in  writing.  He 
immediately  rose,  and  with  a  cheerful,  placid  Counte- 
nance, presented  me  with  a  paper  containing  his  u  con- 
fession •/'  which  was  afterward  read  to  the  troops  in 
Ceylon  by  military  authority. 

Confession  of  John  Jenny,  as  it  was  written  by  himself* 

"I  am  committed  for  a  crime  which  will  affect  my 
life;  but,  though  it  is  a  serious  matter,  I  am  far  more 
concerned  about  my  genera!  conduct  and  character.  I 
have  lived  in  a  very  bad  way.  There  are  many  sins 
which  human  laws  do  not  punish;  and  the  crime  for 
which  L  am  committed  is  but  a  small  part  of  my  nrmlt- 
My  life  has  been  full  of  evil.  I  wish,  therefore,  to  think 
of  it  all,  and  to  know  the  best  way  of  preparing  myself 
to  meet  my  great  account.  And  every  night,  when  I  am 
in  my  cell,  my  wHoIh  life  comes  into  my  mind  ;  and 
thousands  of  things,  which  I  have  not  thought  of  for 
many  years  past.  O  God  !  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner. 
But  how  can  I  expect  mercy,  who  went  on  in  sin  till 
justice  laid  hold  of  me,  and  who  came  to  God  only  be-'* 
cause  I  had  nowhere  else  to  go  to  ?  I  have  hopes! — 
Christ  died  for  the  worst  of  sinners.-  I  think  God  had 
thoughts  of  mercy  toward  me;  else  why  did  he  brin^  me 
here?  Why  has  he  given  me  so  long  time  to  think  of 
my  state?  'What  brought  me  to  my  captain's  place,  [ 
cannot  tell.  I  had  no  business  there.  It  was  that  I 
might  be  brought  hither,  to  be  taught  the  way  of  salva- 
tion. I  bless  God,  night  and  day,  that  I  ever  entered 
the"  walls  of  this  prison.  This  little  hope  I  feel,  that  I 
shall  obtain  mercy:  it  gives  an  happiness  to  which  none 
of  the  pleasures  of    sin  can  ever   be  compared.      I  never 

*The  original  confession,  in   his  own   handwriting,  was  given  to 
the  commandant,  at  his  own  desire. 


DRINKING,  DISOBEDIENCE,  AND  DEATH.  9 

knew  anything  of  happiness  till  now  !  O  that  I  may  but 
be  saved  at  the  last  !  I  confess  the  justice  of  my  sen- 
tence; and  I  warn  all  my  comrades  against  evil  com- 
pany and  drunkenness,  by  which  I  brought  myself  to 
this  unhappy  end  which  I  now  must  suffer.  I  had 
rather  die  this  death  .than  be  set  at  my  liberty,  and  left 
to  myself  and  my  own  wicked  heart,  to  run  into\he 
temptations  of  the  wicked  world  again  !  God,  who 
knows  the  secret  thoughts  of  my  heart,  knows  that  this- 
is  the  truth;  and  I  hope  God?willRgive  me  true  repent- 
ance and  forgiveness  through  Jesus  Christ  !  I  beg  you 
will  with  me  unite  in  prayer  to  God  Almighty.  I  die  in 
peace  with  God  and  all  the  world. 
"  Colombo,  2Vh  day  of  October,  1817. 

"Given  under  my  hand,  far  from  my  home. 

"John  Jenny." 

On  perusing  the  paper,  I  commended  him  for  his 
openness  and  honesty  of  confession  ;  and  we  had  some 
interesting  conversation  together,  about  the  things  of 
God  and  of  salvation. 

As  his  end  approached,  his  spiritual  improvement 
daily  became  more  and  more  evident.  He  was  truly  a 
wonder  to  all  who  came  to  see  him.  When  some  supe- 
rior staff  officers  visited  him,  who  supposed,  from  his 
serenity,  that  he  was  buoying  himself  up  with  the  hopes 
of  pardon,  he  assured  them,  in  the  most  modest  manner, 
that  that  was  not  the  case;  and  added:  "Gentlemen, 
this  cell  has  been  more  than  a  palace  to  me.  I  bless 
God  that  ever  I  was  brought  in  here!  I  would  rather 
take  my  sentence  to-morrow,  with  the  humble  hopes  I 
have,  than  have  a  pardon,  and  live  to  sin  against  God  as 
T  have  done  in  my  past  life." 

The  day  before  his  death,  the  late  honorable  and  ven 
erable  Dr.  Twisleton,  archdeacon  of  Colombo,  visited 
him,  as  he  expressed  himself,  "to  behold  a  man  who,  at 
the  close  of  a  wicked  life,  has  repentant  feelings,  and  to 
congratulate  him;"  and  was  much  struck  .with  admira- 
tion at  his  case.  He  was  not  a  man  of  many  words; 
but  what  he  said,  clearly  displayed  the  state  of  his 
mind. 


10  DRINKING,   DISOBEDIENCE,   AND   DEATH. 

Feeling  a  holy  jealousy  for  him,  we  were  careful  to 
examine  him  in  the  most  scrutinizing  rnanner,  setting 
before  him  the  awful  danger  of  a  miscarriage  in  a  work 
which,  in  his  situation,  could  be  done  but  once.  He 
always  answered  our  inquiries  as  to  his  real  feelings  of 
heart  with  the  most  child-like  openness;  and  we  are 
satisfied  that  he  had  found  peace  with  God,  and  expe- 
rienced the  renewing  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  testimony  of  his  pious  friend,  already  spoken  of, 
is  likewise  satisfactory  on  this  head.  He  observes: 
"I  had  still  some  fears  on  my  mind,  lest  he  should  be 
taken  up  with  a  false  peace;  and  one  day  I  asked  him, 
in  a  very  solemn  manner,  on  what  grounds  he  built  his 
hopes  of  heaven.  He  paused  for  a  little,  and  then  said, 
'I  have  been  a  great  sinner;  and  all  my  hope  and  trust 
is  in  the  mercy  of  God,  through  Jesus  Christ.'  This 
was  a  satisfactory  answer;  and  1  think  I  could  not  de- 
sire a  plainer.  I  was  with  him  a  considerable  part  of 
the  day  before  his  death  —  when  we  joined  in  prayer 
several  times;  and  one  time  1  pressed  on  him  to  pray 
himself.  He  was  rather  unwilling  to  begin,  being  afraid 
lest  he  could  not  express  himself  in  a  proper  manner; 
but  I  told  him  that  God  did  not  look  for  fine  words,  but 
at  the  sincerity  of  the  heart.  Then  he  began  to  confess 
that  we  had  done  many  things  which  we  ought  not  to 
have  done,  and  that  we  had  left  undone  those  things 
which  we  ought  to  have.done  ;  and  went  on  to  pray  that 
the  Lord  would  have  mercy  on  us,  and  that  he  would 
strengthen  and  support  him  in  his  hour  of  trial;  and  so 
concluded.  During  the  evening,  when  1  was  with  him, 
I  asked  him  if  there  was  any  part  of  the  Word  of  God 
that  he  could  apply  to  himself.  '  Yes,'  said  he  :  'Come 
unto  me  all  ye  that  labor,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I 
will  give  you  rest/  At  another  time,  1  inquired  whether 
he  would  be  willing  to  accept  of  his  pardon,  and  live  the 
life  he  had  done,  or  whether  he  would  rather  suffer.  His 
answer  was  that  he  would  rather  suffer." 

On  the  evening  before  his  execution,  being  the  Lord's 
day,  we  administered  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  sup- 
per to  him  and  a  few  religious  friends,  who  felt  a  satis- 
faction in  communing  with  him.     That  cell  never  saw 


DRINKING,   DISOBEDIENCE,   AND  DEATH.  1  1 

such  a  scene  before  !  It  was  an  awfully  pleasing  ser- 
vice !  The  poor  man  appeared  greatly  refreshed;  nor, 
•1  believe,  will  the  season  ever  be  forgotten  by  those 
who  survive.  Surely,  Jesus  is  present  "wheresoever 
two  or  three  are  met  together"  in  His  name  !  After  the 
sacrament,  we  sat  a  short  time  in  religious  conversation, 
each  telling  something  of  the  goodness  of  God  toward 
himself;  and  about  twelve  o'clock  we  left  poor  Jenny, 
with  his  two  Christian  friends,  to  take  a  little  sleep,  and 
thus  be 'the  better  prepared  for  the  solemn  transactions 
of  the  approaching  morning.  On  going  again,  between 
four  and  five  o'clock,  we  were  glad  to  find  he  had  slept 
almost  the  whole  of  the  time;  not- appearing  in  the  least 
agitated  or  discomposed,  excepting  one  sudden  start 
during  his  short  sleep,  perhaps  an  involuntary  effort  of 
lingering  humanity  against  the  dreadful  moment  which 
was  drawing  so  near. 

Dr.  Twistleton  kindly  went  with  us  to  the  cell,  in  the 
morning,  and  prayed  with  us.  The  prisoner  had  no 
fears;  and  when  the  gun  fired,  as  a  signal  for  the  troops 
in  the  garrison  to  assemble,  he  requested  the  provost 
marshal  to  be  informed  that  he  was  ready,  and  did  not 
wish  any  delay  on  his  account.  The  commandant,  Col. 
Young,  displayed  much  compassionate  interest  in  the 
case  of  the  condemned  penitent,  and  generously  acceded 
to  any  request  which  was  made  in  his  behalf.  By  his 
express  permission,  his  two  religious  comrades  support- 
ed him  to  the  awful  spot,  and  performed  the  last  offices 
for  him  after  his  execution.  Colonel  O'Connell  like- 
wise considerately  set  them  free  from  regimental  duty, 
for  the  same  purpose. 

Dr.  Twistleton.  accompanied  the  solemn  piocession 
along  with  us,  and  was  greatly  gratified  with  his  con- 
tinued peace  and  serenity  of  mind.  Under  the  south 
gate  I  observe  to  him  that  I  hoped  he  was  going  out  of 
an  earthly  gate  in  order  to  enter  into  an  heavenly  one. 
He  replied,  "Yes,  glory  be  to  God,  I  hope  I  am." 
After  we  had  proceeded  a  few  paces  farther,  he  lifted 
his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  exclaimed,  "I  shall  soon  see 
Him  whom  I  love."  When  he  had  got  outside  of  the 
fort,  in  view  of  the  parade  on   which  he  was  to  suffer 


12  DRINKING,  DISOBEDIENCE,   AND  DEATH. 

death,  he  commenced,  quite  unexpectedly  to  us,  repeat- 
ing the  forty-third  hymn,  "And  am  I  born  to  die,"  etc.; 
which  he  went  completely  through,  without  any  mis- 
take, repeating  the  last  verse  with  the  sweetest  expres- 
sion and  emphasis  imaginable — 

"  So  shall  I  love  my  God 

Because  he  first  loved  me, 
And  praise  thee  in  thy  bright  abode 
To  all  eternity." 

Casting  his  eyes  upward,  with  humble  confidence,  he 
added,  "Yes,  glory  be  to  God,  I  shall." 

At  Dr.  Twistleton's  request,  he  repeated  the  whole- 
hymn  again  in  the  same  manner.     It  had  been  pointed 

out  to  him   by  Corporal  ,  at  the  commencement 

of  his  confinement;  and  had  been  rendered  so  useful  to 
him,  that  he  had  committed  the  whole  to  memory,  most 
correctly.* 

When  the  procession  approached  the  line,  down  which 
we  were  slowly  to  move,  it  was  observed  by  some  in  the 
ranks  that  his  countenance  appeared  to  glisten  with  joy 
and  composure!  tie  retained  his  firmness:  while  we 
continued  on  each  side,  to  assist  his  remembrance,  by 
repeating  portions  of  Scripture  adapted  to  his  circum- 
stances; to  which  he,  two  or  three  times,  returned  the 
most  pleasing  and  satisfactory  replies.  On  reaching  the 
end  of  the  line,  we  inarched  to  the  centre  of  the  army, 
when  his  coffin  was  placed  upon  the  ground.  We 
kneeled  round  it,  and  commended  him  to  God,  in  solemn 
prayer;  and  he  was  almost  immediately  dismissed  from 
the  body,  into  an  eternal  world.  His  last  words  were, 
"  Farewell  !     Glory  be  to  God  !     I  am   a  happy  man." 

So  died  John  Jenny,  October  27th,  1817,  aged  nearly 
twenty-five  years.  "  Is  not  this  a  brand  plucked  out  of 
the  fire?"      Zech.  iii,  2. 

*  The  hymn  may  be  found  in  the  Weslyan  Hymn-book. 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE    SOUTH    CAROLINA    TRACT    SOCIETY. 

Evans  &  Cogswell,  Printers,  No.  3  Broad  street,  Charleston,  8.  C. 


/ 


Hollinger  Corp* 
PH8.5 


